Violence bill passes; House Republicans cave

A strengthened, Senate-written Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday morning after lawmakers rejected a weaker version sponsored by Republican leaders. The anti-domestic violence legislation goes to President Obama for signature.

The legislation is a key component in curbing domestic violence. It authorizes up to $660 million each year to aid the investigation and prosecution of beatings, harassment and stalkings — resources vitally needed in rural areas — and provide shelter and support for victims.

Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who pushed a strong Violence Against Women Act, which now goes to President Obama for his signature.

“A bipartisan majority, committed to protecting women, wrote in protections we did not have before . . . In the House, moderate Republicans told their leadership to listen, and helped overturn Tea Party resistance in their caucus,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a key sponsor, said in an interview with seattlepi.com.

The House action ends a year-long battle over what should be the scope of America’s effort to help victims and often-understaffed sheriff’s and police departments charged with investigating domestic violence.

Lawmakers turned back a version of the bill, sponsored by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, chair of the House Republican Caucus, that omitted provisions protecting gay women who are victims of violence and weakened protections for native women on Indian reservations and undocumented immigrants who are victims of domestic abuse.

On the brink of defeat, McMorris Rodgers hit out at Democrats, who spent last year campaigning to strengthen the 1994-vintage law against domestic violence. “The debate over VAWA has been a partisan attack,” said the Eastern Washington congresswoman.

“I’m disappointed that some of our country’s most influential leaders have dismissed the House (leadership) bill,” added McMorris Rodgers.

The Republican leaders’ bill lost on a 166-257 vote, with 199 of 200 Democratic House members voting against it. The House then passed the Senate’s bill by a 286-138 vote. Despite the two-third majority, a majority of Republicans in the House — 138 of them — voted against the Senate legislation.

House Speaker John Boehner and Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, R-Washington. They resisted astrong, Senate-passed Violence Against Women Act bill, but allowed it to pass Thursday.

Other members of Washington’s congressional delegation cheered passage of the anti-violence legislation in terms different from those used by McMorris Rodgers. “This bill will help us confront the epidemic of abuse on Tribal reservations, with Native women facing assault 2.5 times the national average,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.

Freshman Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., who cosponsored the Senate bill in the House, added: “Today Congress set aside divisive partisanship and voted to reauthorize a landmark law that will save lives and help protect millions of victims of violence.”

Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., who had extensive meetings with victims and victim advocates in Northwest Washington, told the House: “We would not be here except for the courage of the victims.”

Still, the issue stirred rancor. The Senate in the summer of 2012 passed, 68 to 31, a bipartisan bill that expanded protections for undocumented emigres and the LGBT community, and allowed for tribal courts on reservation land to prosecute non-Indians accused of abusing tribal women.

The House passed a much weaker bill. Republican leaders would not allow a vote on the Senate passed legislation.

The Senate held fast. Earlier this month, by an overwhelming 78-22 vote — including all 55 Democratic caucus members and 23 of 45 Republicans — it passed a strong bill.

By this time, stung by losses among women voters in November, some House Republicans were ready to act. Seventeen of them, including Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., sent a letter to Boehner and McMorris Rodgers urging the House to take up the Senate bill. Curiously, however, Reichert on Thursday voted for the weaker Republican bill.